Monster Knit Rally

Psst...

2008-01-14T13:36:00.001-07:00

I'm just peeking out briefly to say that this blog is retired (in case you couldn't guess from the lack of recent posts). I am continuing to knit and play with other craft mediums, but I've moved on to other projects as well. I will leave this blog up for now, but will not be continuing to post. You can still find me on Flickr, and I have plans for a new blog project soon (I'll link to it from Flickr when I do).

Many thanks to all who have read and commented here. It meant a lot to me.

Japanese Craft Books: (The Long Awaited) Post 4

2007-03-22T10:22:00.000-07:00

This book of button crafts is the last of the four Japanese craft books I got at Kinokuniya Bookstore in NYC. The title is all in Japanese and the ISBN is 4-579-11063-3. The majority of the projects in the book are jewelry, but there are also some embellished bags, scarves and wall decorations.
I would wear these earrings in a heartbeat. Even if they were too big and made my head look small and funny.

This bag is made entirely of buttons... I don't think I have the patience for a project like that.
This bag seem more reasonable, just using buttons as an embellishment.

As I found with the other books, although the majority of the instructions are in Japanese, the diagrams are remarkably clear. The English text in this book includes project and page numbers (so you can easily tell which diagram and instructions goes with which pretty picture) and measurements (in mm) along with each diagram.

Perhaps my favorite part of the book is all the amazing buttons. They run the gamut from kitschy and cute to delicately lovely, and I want to have them all myself so I can sort and re-sort them into little piles by color, theme, size, shape and so on. Does anyone else do this or is it just me?

See my other Japanese craft books in posts 1, 2 and 3.

A day of relaxation

2007-03-20T22:13:00.000-07:00

Today was a rare, coveted day of no work, no obligations, no chores... nothing but sleeping in, a lovely hike and picnic lunch with my sweetie, a simple home-cooked dinner, and a little vegging out with TV and computer before bed.
The view from the rim of the canyon we hiked into.
Looks more like the Caribbean than Arizona. The shallower water was not this color, but many of the pools in the canyon had this amazing hue to them (partly due to algae I think).
An elk carcass, picked clean. If you look closely, you can see the clumps of hair scattered around on the ground. I also thought it was neat that the head is split open, and the brain presumably eaten, along with all the other edible parts.

Corners of my home and mail goodies

2007-03-08T11:37:00.000-07:00

This is a spot I look at a lot - right on the counter next to the sink. I love the Japanese cat soap dish and the handmade lavender soap (both from my mom). The black bowl is filled with very strong ginger candies and some dried, salty plums (I think they are plums) which I have not been brave enough to try yet.
This is another spot in my apartment that I see a lot, though I rarely stop and look at it. The peephole has a tiny hinged door with a little latch to keep it closed. I think I opened and closed it about a dozen times when we first moved in to this apartment, then forgot about it.

Just as I was struggling to get over the flu a week or two ago, I received this wonderful package from my (formerly) Secret Pal. The swap was already over, and she had sent me several packages already, so I am thinking of this one as a bonus.
This lovely little Pea Pod Cardigan is from the book Knit 2 Together by Tracey Ullman and Mel Clark, that was part of the package above. I am tempted to make it, but it's hard to tell if it would be as cute on someone more busty than the model. Why are knitwear models always so lacking in curves?

Overall, I like this book a lot. There are several patterns that I would never make, several that are pretty similar to patterns I've seen elsewhere, and most importantly, several unique patterns that I would consider making, including knit bloomers (I know, I'm silly) and a neat carpetbag.

I think this was my favorite item that my Secret Pal sent - some Malabrigo yarn in a lovely pink and almost earth tone colorway. I immediately started making a cable and rib hat with it, which I finished a couple of days ago... just in time for some 60 and 70 degree sunshiney days. At least it's done for next winter.

Peeking out, work-in-progress: my life

2007-02-23T08:35:00.000-07:00

It's been over 2 months since I last posted. I think I let this blog fall by the wayside because it doesn't seem to have a consistent voice - I don't have a consistent voice on it - and thus I don't have much of a consistent readership to interact with. (Though if you've been reading consistently, thank you for your support!). When I started the blog, I didn't really care who read it or if anyone at all did. Now, I feel that I'd like more interaction if I'm going to continue.

I've been rethinking both the subject focus (and title) of this blog recently. Knitting and crafts are definitely important to me, but having so little free time, my attention often goes elsewhere. Some of my favorite posts to write and to see on the blog were food related. I really enjoy posting recipes and food photos, but I don't want this to be a food blog. I also like reviewing or showing books that I'm enjoying... I'd like to do more of this, and perhaps include some fiction.

I've also been reconsidering part of the subtitle(?) of my blog: "Wherein I ramble about knitting, crafting, food, books, and wanting to retire by the time I turn 30." Most readers have probably seen knitting, crafting, food and books mentioned more than once here. The part that I feel I've neglected is "wanting to retire by the time I turn 30." I don't talk about that at all really. I thought about removing that part of the sentence, but while it is partially a joke, it is also something that I feel strongly about. Part of the reason I haven't touched on the subject is because I don't want to reveal too much personal information here, which for me includes information about my work. However, I think that I've been mistaken in leaving out the subject altogether; it is possible to discuss the nature of work and careers without talking too specifically about mine.

I would like to share that up until very recently, I held two part time jobs which when added together gave me (almost) full time employment. Although I was working full time hours, neither of my jobs provided any of the benefits that many full time jobs do - paid vacation, sick or personal time, medical insurance, etc - so that any of those things come out of my own pocket. I'm not grousing about this; working two part time jobs was a deliberate choice on my part - it enabled me to work doing things that were more enjoyable to me than most other options. It also gave me a more flexible schedule, and sense that I wasn't having my soul sucked out in order to support myself (which I have felt before).

Fast forward to the present day: I am still working one of the two jobs I mentioned before; the other didn't work out for various reasons. But now this leaves me with a dilemna: The job I still have I enjoy immensely and really want to continue, but it will not support me alone. It also happens to be related to a field in which I might like to work in the future. The other job I had, while generally enjoyable, is not necessarily the type of work I want to be doing in the long run, but the working environment was good, and I was paid significantly more to do it. That job made it possible for me to support myself and work the job I really like.

So now I'm feeling stuck. I've taken a (hopefully short-term) second part time job to make ends meet. I am working for a major retail corporation, and it has only reinforced all of my negative beliefs about the American job system: that laziness and selfishness are rewarded, and hard work is usually taken advantage of.

With both current jobs, I am just able to pay my bills. There is no possibility of saving money for things I enjoy: eating out semi-regularly, travel, crafting, rock climbing, backpacking, etc.
I have looked for another part time job, but haven't seen anything that pays significantly better and/or that is any less soul-crushing than the present job. Finding a full-time job might mean better pay and benefits, but it would also mean giving up the first part-time job that I really enjoy.

So the questions I keep coming back to are these: How do you support yourself while still being yourself? How do you support yourself and still be able to live the life you want? Is the price you sell your time, your energy, your creativity for worth it? What other alternatives are there? Is it possible to live a truly good life in this country (No debt, all needs fully met, enough leisure time to enjoy the things we do have)? For what percentage of the population?

How do you reconcile these issues in your life? Or are you still struggling with them too?

Mail goodies

2006-12-14T15:33:00.000-07:00

I recently went from working extremely part-time to a bit more than full-time, and suddenly all my computer time disappeared. I uploaded these photos a while ago, but am only now getting around to writing this post.
I received a second package from my Secret Pal! I opened the box, and then I just kept unwrapping package after package. She sent so much stuff, and it was so well presented, including one skein of yarn in a Chinese food carton (unused of course). Thanks again, SP!

Here are a few of my favorite things: yarn in colors I would never pick out for myself, but that are absolutely lovely (and lovely together). I can't wait to find a project for them!

Delicious chai tea and honey straws, and a nice mild-scented soap I'll actually use! Plus, my pal remembered that I love Burt's Bees products and sent their hand salve which smells so good. She even packed some of it in a little box that I've already put to use holding some of my knitting notions.
One of my other favorite items was this felted bag pattern. I'm not sure I would have anywhere to wear this evening bag, but I'm tempted to make it anyway, just because it looks so neat.
I've also gotten some wonderful Chanukah presents this week, which I'll try to post photos of soon. (Thanks mom and dad and Mr. Cool!)

Japanese Craft Books: Post 3

2006-12-03T23:10:00.000-07:00

See my first two Japanese craft book posts here and here.
This book is aptly titled General merchandise made from wire by Yoshiko Morinaga. The ISBN is 4-309-28020-X.
I very much like the simplicity of the designs in this book. Some of my favorites are the hanging planters, a fruit bowl,

and this pencil cup.
The instructions include many photographs and diagrams, and I'm betting if you've ever used a pair of pliers, these projects should be fairly simple. Note to self: must get pliers and wire ASAP. Vice grips don't count.

You can look forward to my final Japanese craft book post later this week. I've saved the best for last! Actually, I love them all equally, which is why I couldn't bring myself to leave the bookstore with less than four books. Sheesh.

Thrift Thursday, um I mean Friday

2006-12-01T14:28:00.000-07:00

I've been feeling a bit stressed about money recently, so last week I decided to treat myself by spending some money. I know that makes no sense, but sometimes that's how it works. I was pretty frugal though. I got 10 pieces of clothing for $14: three skirts,
five shirts,
and one fabulous little jacket!
That collar is real rabbit fur, which weirds me out a little. I would never buy fur new, but I'm justifying this purchase by saying it's OK because it's used. I also saw and coveted a number of cute little jackets when I was in NYC, and thought this was more in my price range at $4, than, for example, the little jacket I saw in a shop priced at $1950.

I also got a striped sheet for $3, part of which has become mini curtains for the bedroom. Not sure what else to make from it, but I do like how cheerful and bright the fabric is.
The last few days' weather has proved that winter has arrived. So I made some window snakes out of a thrifted flannel pillowcase. It's hard to tell in this photo, but the pattern is little sheep munching away among some flowers.
These cut down on the draft a little, but I'm thinking I may have to make giant ones to cover all of the windows in their entirety before winter is over. Ah, the joys of cheap apartment living.

Japanese Craft Books: Post 2

2006-11-24T17:04:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is another of the Japanese craft books I recently acquired. The Japanese bookstore had the infamous (in the blog world) Machine Made Patchworks 1 & 2, but after leafing through several options, I went with this book instead:
Suzuko Koseki's Patchwork Quilts: Tradition, Textile, Machine a Coudre, ISBN 4-529-04182-4. I had no idea when I bought it, but when looking it up online, I discovered it has the same author as the Machine Made Patchworks books.

These bags are very cute. The circle shapes are very typical of the crafts I've seen inspired by Japanese craft books. Even though I've seen a lot of circles (this pouch, these totes, these tags, this bag), it doesn't make me like them any less. However, it did make me more excited to see something quite unexpected:
I really love tree and leaf shapes in crafts, so when I saw these, I couldn't resist this book. I don't think my sewing skills are up to this level of applique, but I can drool. Perhaps I'll try to knit something with a leaf shape soon... I've seen some cute knitted leaf earrings.
Here are the botanical shapes done on a larger scale. It's almost too much, but I still adore it and would love to have something like this in my home!

I don't sew much, and most of what I sew is very basic, so I don't think I'll be doing many of the projects in this book, but I hope to work up to them eventually.

Japanese Craft Books: Post 1

2006-11-23T14:06:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned, I picked up a few craft books at a Japanese bookstore in NYC. They are all so gorgeous, and have a very different aesthetic than most American craft books. Who cares if I can't read most of the instructions? They're mostly for inspiration anyway.

I have four books to share. I've decided to share them one at a time to keep my posts manageable, and also tease you a bit.
The only English on the cover is the word Tanu (I was able to find it by searching "tanu" at yesasia.com) and the ISBN is 4-529-04306-1.
The book is divided into sections: snow, penguin, scenery, flower,
forest of autumn, and baby leaf (actually sprouts).

The instructions have plenty of photos and illustrations, so despite the lack of English text, many of the projects should be fairly easy to figure out. The book has both wet-felted and needle-felted projects, and I really like the occasional incorporation of other materials (as in the mobile pictured above).

Thanks, Secret Pal

2006-11-19T13:11:00.000-07:00

When I arrived home from my trip, there was a package waiting for me from my Secret Pal. (She thoughtfully sent it early in an attempt to gave it arrive before I left, but packages seem to be slow arriving here, so it was a nice treat to come home to.) Inside, I found Rainbow Boucle yarn in the perfect colorway for me (red, deep red, a little brown), a needle case for carrying my straight needles on the go, a needle guage, and some cute little sticky notes for marking pages in whatever craft or cookbooks I currently have out from the library. Yay! An excellent package (thanks again, SP!), and I can't wait to see what else is in store for me.

The pal I secretly send things to has received her first package, and it seems to be quite a hit. That's all I'll say, as I don't want to reveal too much and have my pal figure out who I am.

On the other hand, I need to do a little detective work to start trying to figure out who my Secret Pal is. Any hints, SP?

Homecoming

2006-11-18T16:41:00.000-07:00

So November hasn't been a very productive blogging month for me so far, but I have a lot to share, so I will try to remedy that in the next week or so.

The rest of my trip to Budapest and Romania was wonderful. I got to spend lots of time with a very good friend I hadn't seen in much too long, as well as get acquainted with someone very important to her. We also visited several castles (pictured below is Bran Castle in Romania), ate some very good food, and enjoyed the season's first snowfall. It feels really good to be home, but it also would have been nice to have more time to travel and explore.

I spent a couple of days in NYC on either end of my trip, and I have a few restaurant and shopping recommendations to share with you in a future post. I also got to visit a Japanese bookstore there and buy my first Japanese craft books. There were so many choices, I ended up with 4 for myself, and one for a friend. They will require a post of their own. And finally, you can also look forward to a post about my Rhinebeck acquisitions, as soon as I get a chance to take pictures.

Hope you're all doing well!

Travel update

2006-10-31T12:14:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am wearing silly sunglasses in this photo. I also happen to be sitting at the top of Gellert Hill in Budapest, looking out over the city. You can see the Parliament building in the background. (We did not see any of the protests there, although they took place on the day I arrived. When we saw Parliament a few days later, it was completely fenced in, with police at regular intervals around the perimeter, and not many people except for a few tour groups.)

I am currently in Romania, staying with friends near Brasov in Transylvania. Brasov and the surrounding towns are located in center of a horseshoe formed by the Carpathian Mountains, which makes it absolutely lovely. It has been rainy the past couple of days, but this morning we woke up to a gorgeous blue sky. We took a train to the town of Sinaia, where Peles Castle is located. I taught my friend Z. to knit this morning, and we practiced on the train, in between checking out the stunning views of the Carpathian Mountains (covered in plenty of snow already).
Once we arrived in Sinaia, we had a nice lunch of soup, french fries, and these giant polenta balls with a sour cream/cottage cheese-like dip. Then we walked up the hill and were greeted by this:
Unfortunately, the inside of the castle was closed for renovations, but the security guards let us stroll right around it, even though we weren't supposed to. They also offered to take us inside in exchange for a bribe, but we declined. Too many poorly trained armed men around. Shortly after this encounter, we saw a poster from an Anti-Corruption Conference that had taken place there just a few days before. Nice.

I will most likely write more about my impressions of Romania once I get home, but I think that the most obvious thing I've noticed is that Romania is much more like many parts of Latin America and Asia than it is like most of Europe - it is still very much a developing country. Its entry into the EU will be interesting, to say the least.

Rhinebeck, and a travel update

2006-10-25T03:11:00.000-07:00

No photos today, since I'm blogging from an internet cafe in Budapest, where I just arrived yesterday. I'm so excited to be here, exploring a new/old place, and to see what I remember from my visit 15 years ago.

The Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival was incredible... they had so many interesting things that it was impossible to see and absorb them all. I got tons of roving - cotton, silk, bamboo, ingeo, merino/tencel, yak - to try out, and some lovely hand-spun, hand-dyed yarn in a muted red/pink colorway destined to become a sweater (perhaps of my own design). I will post photos in a couple of weeks when I return from my trip.

That's all I will update at the moment, since I'm off to explore!
I will post photos as soon as I am able.

Work-in-progress: packing, unpacking, repeating

2006-10-15T22:40:00.000-07:00

All my things laid out for an upcoming trip. I've already done two "trial runs" of packing the backpack to see if everything will fit, if I can trim anything, if I'm forgettting anything. Today I packed for the third time. Will it be the last? (Tune in next time to find out.)

I've had people ask me how I can travel to new places on my own, or be amazed by the fact that I have. It seems that many folks have anxiety about something bad happening when they travel, or just not being able to figure things out on their own. I have confidence that those things will work out - I generally don't feel worried about my plane crashing, or missing a plane or train, or getting lost, or running into weirdos, or getting mugged or pickpocketed, or other strange things that can happen when traveling.

For me, it's the preparation that makes me anxious. What if I forget to do something before I leave? What if I forget to bring something with me, or I pack too much and my pack is a pain in the ass to carry around? When I verbalize these worries, they sound so silly, I'm not even concerned. I think the worries that really get me are the ones I can't name, those extremely vague but terrible what ifs circling round and round in my head. If I could speak them or write them down, would be shockingly horrible, or would the naming just negate them, make them no longer a concern?
But I can't name them. I know they'll all go away as soon as the trip begins, but for now all I can do is pack, unpack and repeat.

Vest Obsessed and a Wildlife Report

2006-10-08T09:58:00.000-07:00

There is just something about the asymmetric seed stitch vest found here that I can't get over. Is it the variegated body with solid colored bands? The asymmetric join in the front? The seed stitch? (I do love seed stitch.)

But there is something weird about it. Almost ugly. It walks that odd line between ugly and awesome. I don't like the racer back. I do not like how cropped it is. I am not sure how I feel about the lacing. And there's nothing wrong with the girl wearing it, but her body type is so different from mine, I have no point of reference for how it would look on me.

So. Since I have been eying this vest for months, I think I finally need to do something with it. I'm thinking lengthening it, adding shoulders, widening the back, possible adding bands of solid color along the part that laces... anything else? I'm currently swatching and designing, so I'll post a photo when I have something to show.

Mr. Cool and I went on a hike yesterday in a very wild canyon. The photo above is from another recent hike since we forgot to bring the camera yesterday. It's a shame too, since we saw the most wildlife we've seen here in one day: a tarantula, several mule deer, a bear, some native trout (many of the streams around here are stocked, but this one was too remote) and a couple of elk. We've seen mule deer and elk around here before, they are fairly common. Tarantulas aren't even supposed to live this high up (as far as I know), but I'm about 90% sure it was a tarantula. It was very hairy and large, and had a lighter colored abdomen with very dark legs. The bear we saw from a comfortable distance, and it looked right at us, then turned and lumbered away. That was pretty neat.

I also finally remembered (OK, Mr. Cool reminded me) to smell a ponderosa pine tree. Lo and behold, as Amanda said, they do smell delicious. I thought the one I sniffed smelled like butterscotch. Next hike, I'll have to smell some more and see if I think they all smell like butterscotch, or if I find any vanilla or bubble gum.

Secret Pal 9 Questionnaire

2006-10-08T09:18:00.000-07:00

Everyone except my secret pal, feel free to skip this post.

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I really love very soft yarns, especially ones with soy, alpaca or silk in them. I’m quite fond of hand-painted yarns, as well as self striping and variegated yarns like Manos del Uruguay, Tosca by Lang or Patons SWS. I don’t like rough/scratchy yarns (does anyone?), whether they’re acrylic or wool. I guess I’m not too fond of really crazy novelty yarns either… anything that sheds more than a small animal is not good.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
My Denise needles have their own case, my straight needles are displayed in a decorative canister thing, and my few circulars (besides the Denise set) and DPNs usually end up loose in my knitting bag or in a small zippered pouch.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I learned to knit a few times before it really stuck. My aunt taught me when I was a kid, but I never really got the hang of purling. I re-learned much more recently from the book Stitch ‘N Bitch. That was about 2 years ago. I would consider myself a beginning intermediate knitter with a willingness to take plenty of knitting risks.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
Yes, both. SP, I’ll email you with how to access them, I don’t really want them public. Used books are definitely cool with me.

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.)
Um, I’m very sensitive/mildly allergic to many fragrances, so I’m not big on scented products in general. I do love beeswax candles, and I like natural, unscented or mildly scented body products, such as Burt’s Bees.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
I definitely have a sweet tooth, and my favorite treat is chocolate, especially dark chocolate (bars, truffles, etc). My other favorite treat is tea (without sugar). I love herbal teas, red, green, and occasionally black teas.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?
I’m beginner at spinning. Right now I have a very basic drop spindle and a friend just got me a Navajo spindle. I will be attending the NYS Sheep and Wool Fest, so I’m hoping to come away with some fiber. I also like to sew, and I’m trying to teach myself printing/stamping. I love to cook, and have been on a baking kick lately. I also really enjoy growing things, and like to have plants around my apartment. I would like to learn how to crochet. My mom taught me as a kid, but I never got past the single chain.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
My taste in music is fairly eclectic, and I enjoy being exposed to new music. I’d love to be introduced to some good bluegrass or anything else you particularly like. My computer can play mp3s, but I mostly listen to music in the car, which does not have mp3 playing capacity.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?
I’m quite fond of colors in the red family – deep reds, burgundy, pinks, but I also like blues, purples, greens, earth tones, black. I guess the only colors I’m not crazy about are yellow and orange, and that’s just near my face (I’m blond and fair-skinned, so they tend to look funny on me).

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I live with my boyfriend, Mr. Cool. No pets.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?
Yes to scarves, hats and occasionally mittens. No to ponchos (I’m small, so I would get lost in them - I probably would wear something similar but smaller, like a capelet or wrap or even a ponchette, if that’s a word)

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I love quick knits like hats and wristwarmers, but I’m starting to really enjoy bigger, more wearable projects now like sweaters.

13. What are you knitting right now?
Armwarmers, a mesh produce bag, a vest and an afghan.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
I love it.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?
I have a set of Denise interchangeable needles which I really like, so I’m all set with circulars. I usually prefer wood or bamboo for straight needles and DPNs.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
I do not own either.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?
That would be the afghan mentioned above (question 13), which was started last January or February (and I anticipate it taking many more months, if not years, to finish at the rate I’m going).

18. What is your favorite holiday?
I don’t really have a favorite, but any holiday involving food is a good holiday in my book.

19. Is there anything that you collect?
I try not to.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?
I’d really like to make the Ribby Cardi from Chic Knits. I like the color scheme they have, or I might consider a red or pink with brown, or perhaps go monochromatic and do two shades of reds or blues.
I’ve been wanting to try out Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk for a while, and I always swoon over hand spun and/or hand-dyed yarns. I do not have any knitting mag subscriptions, but am fond of some of the European mags and pattern booklets that I’ve seen, like Phildar and Drops.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?
Lace (I’ve done very basic lace, but I’d love to try something fancy), cables, colorwork, steeking, etc.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?
Not yet. I wear a women’s size 5-6, and my foot measures 8 5/8” from heel to tip of big toe.

23. When is your birthday? July 8

Mail Love

2006-09-28T21:15:00.000-07:00

I love getting things in the mail. Today, I received the most wonderful box of goodies (pictured above), kindly preopened (and then resealed) for me by US customs. Thankfully, everything was still carefully and beautifully packaged when it got to me, and they didn't take any treats (that I could tell). The goodies came from my Swap-bot tea swap partner. It turns out my partner lives in Germany, so the tea and snacks she sent were all things I hadn't seen before. Neat! She also sent the most ladylike little tea cup and saucer, a neat tea tin (with yummy chocolates inside), and a beaded bookmark.
How could I resist? I immediately made a pot of tea for Mr. Cool and I, and we sampled all of the snacks. I served the snacks on one of the tea themed napkins my partner sent - how thoughtful! I loved all of it, swap buddy, thank you so much!
My other tea swap partner, the one I sent this to, graciously sent me a wonderfully packaged thank you note, and a few bags of tea! She didn't have to, but it was much appreciated! By the way, the baked goodies I sent to my partner were mandel bread, but I didn't want to give it away, since I was sending some to my parents too. Perhaps I'll post the recipe soon, which is from my grandmother.
I also received a package of assorted wonderfulness on Tuesday. Look at it all! There are batik fabric squares, banana nut muffin mix, a lovely lavender soap, assorted buttons, spiced cider mix, the usual notes and clippings, Nori Maki crackers (already half eaten, and I had to restrain myself so as not to eat them all at once - why do I love seaweed so much?), and my favorite - the tea towels! I want to use them in my kitchen, but I am also tempted to make an apron out of one or more of them.

If this package were from someone other than my mom, I would probably call it a swap package, but since it is from my mom, I think it has to be called a care package. Thanks so much mom! Everything in it was perfect and just the pick-me-up I needed this week.

Also, speaking of mail and packages, I have decided not to participate in any more Swap-bot swap for a while. Instead, I'll be participating in Secret Pal 9! I'm quite excited. If you're interested, hurry over and sign up, the deadline is September 30.

Recipe: Broiled Chicken with Lemon and Balsamic Vinegar

2006-09-25T18:23:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from The Minimalist Cooks Dinner by Mark Bittman, a cookbook I currently have out of the library. I'd read and enjoyed his column in the New York Times before and tried one of his recipes (Pasta Puttanesca), so I had high expectations for the book, and it has definitely delivered. Last week I made his Roast Fish with Crisp Potatoes, Olives and Bay Leaves, which was a bit heavy on the oil for my taste, but absolutely delicious. This recipe is actually titled Broiled Cornish Hens with Lemon and Balsamic Vinegar, but he says you can use chicken instead of Cornish Hens, which I did. I made couscous with toasted pine nuts (from a box) and a tasty salad to go along with it.

This dinner was voted "Best Meal in Flagstaff," by Mr. Cool.

Broiled Chicken with Lemon and Balsamic Vinegar
Ingredients:
chicken - I used 6 thighs, with skin and bones
salt and pepper
2 lemons, very thinly sliced
balsamic vinegar
minced garlic (he says optional, I say not)
chopped parsley for garnish (which I did not use)

Set your oven to broil and put the rack close to the heat source.

Lay the chicken pieces in a pan, skin side down, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cover each one with lemon slices. Broil for 15 minutes, or until lemons appear browned and the chicken looks cooked on that side.

Remove from oven, flip chicken pieces over, and sprinkle with salt and pepper on the other side. Broil for another 10 minutes, then remove from oven.

Smear some minced garlic on top of each piece of chicken and cover with lemon slices. Broil for 5 minutes more. Check that chicken is cooked and lemons are browned, if not, broil for a bit longer.

Remove from oven, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, and serve with couscous (or another grain).

Sweet and Tangy Salad
Ingredients:
Salad greens of your choice, I prefer mixed baby greens or mesclun mix
Sorrel
Watercress
Chopped tomato
Pomegranate seeds
Olive oil
Vinegar - something light, I use rice vinegar

Combine the ingredients in a bowl and drizzle with the olive oil and vinegar.

The sorrel and watercress in my salad were foraged on a hike this weekend, but you can sometimes find them at the grocery store or natural food store. Asian markets are also a good place to find watercress. The tomato and pomegranate are from the local farmer's market. I might skip the tomato if I couldn't find a good one.

Bon appetit!

Knitting away

2006-09-24T14:19:00.000-07:00

I finished this hat yesterday, commissioned by someone I work with. He wanted something pretty simple in design, with an interesting yarn to add a little depth to it. I think this fits the bill, and I hope he likes it! (In the photo, this hat is displayed on a glass jar; when it is on someone's head it looks more round, and the brim doesn't roll up quite as much.)
My scribble lace scarf (based on the pattern in Mason Dixon Knitting) is done. Because it's so lacy, I was concerned about how the ends would look woven in, so I consulted my knitting group, and someone suggested sewing the ends in, which is what I ended up doing. I'm quite pleased with how it came out, and I think I will be wearing it to Rhinebeck. I'm intrigued by how different scribble lace can look depending on the yarns and needles used.

I just finished these wristwarmers for a swap I'm participating in. They're made from Patons SWS (a self-striping wool and soy blend) which I really like. It is so soft and feels nice to knit with. My only complaint is that it is a tad loosely spun, which means it splits more easily than I'd prefer. I made some minor changes to the pattern (on even rows, I purled 7 at the beginning of the row and purled 8 at the end of the row, which is the opposite of what the pattern instructs), and it would have been great if the gauge was listed. Other than that, I really liked the pattern, and thought it worked very well with the yarn. I see more of these in my future.
Another pair of wristwarmers (promised to a friend over a year ago I think) that are not as done as they look in the photo. The first time I made them, one was significantly larger than the other (can you tell?), so I ripped it out and started again. A few rows from the end, I realized I counted wrong and I need to rip it and start over again. Arg. At least they knit up quickly.

Also in progress (still): a mesh produce bag, commissioned armwarmers, and a big, cozy blanket which I anticipate taking several years to finish.

Up next: a sweater from Weekend Knitting, more spinning, and getting started on holiday gifts.

WIP Friday

2006-09-15T08:06:00.000-07:00

One of the aforementioned commissioned projects - a very simple hat in a lovely variegated wool.

Assorted teas and some homebaked goodies almost ready to go off to my Tea swap partner.

At knitting group this Wednesday, we tried knitting with some unconvential materials. Pictured here is some knitting done with a tortilla chip bag (sliced in rings and looped together into a strand first) and a ball of tulle strips. I think you will see more of these in the future.

What non-yarn materials have you knitted with?

Corners of my home

2006-09-14T12:39:00.000-07:00

A little corner of my bedroom.

More corners here.

Spinning

2006-09-12T08:26:00.000-07:00

Last night some of the women in my knitting group got together for a spinning night. It was so neat. I own and have used a drop spindle (which hangs in the air as you spin it), but I also got to try spinning on a Navajo spindle (which rests on the floor as you spin it against your leg) and a spinning wheel. They all take some getting used to, but I really liked the Navajo spindle and the woman who brought it kindly lent me one (she has a few) for a couple of weeks (pictured to the right). I am excited to use it more! My goal is to spin up as much of my stash of not-so-nice fiber as possible before the Rhinebeck Sheep & Wool Festival. Then I can get some really nice fiber there.

A few spinning related links I've been enjoying:
If You Would Love to Spin a Dream - spinning blog
RowanTree Woolery - lovely roving for sale
Misshawklet - beautiful handspun yarn and fiber
Cosymakes Flickr Spinning Stuff set - and her other photo sets as well

P.S. I just made the patchwork pillow in the photo this weekend.

Etsy shop update!

2006-09-10T15:54:00.000-07:00

I've added some knitted ribbon bracelets to my Etsy shop, so head on over and check them out (there are a couple more not pictured above). They are my own pattern and I'm so enamoured with them that I'm rather tempted to keep them for myself. What do you think of them? Are there other items you'd like to see in the shop?

Rainy Sunday

2006-09-10T15:19:00.000-07:00

It was quite sunny this morning when I went to the farmer's market, but now that I want to take some photos, its pouring outside. The photo is from a lovely drive we took yesterday.

I made some progress on my Crafty To Do list; today I finished mending three shirts, hemmed a pair of pants, and made a patchwork pillow (decided one of the bags was better suited as a pillow). I actually ironed before sewing, which I am usually too lazy to do, and everything went so much more smoothly, it was amazing. I now love my iron and ironing board.

I also made some chicken salad today from leftover baked chicken, which turned out quite delicious. Here is my recipe:

chicken, diced
mayo, plenty
diced apple (I used about 1/3 apple for 2 large chicken breasts)
diced olives (just a few)
salt
pepper
paprika

Mix it all together and adjust ingredient proportions to taste. This would taste really good on some fresh sourdough bread. Alas, we only had white, but it was still yummy.

We've also been working on finishing off some Vanilla Buttercream Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting that I made earlier this week. They are so unhealthy (3 sticks of butter!?) but oh so good.

I'm looking for a specific chocolate cupcake recipe. They are vegan, very moist, and have a liquid, almost ganache-like center. Has anyone seen a recipe for something like this?

My crafting To Do list

2006-09-05T08:10:00.000-07:00

Weave in ends on scribble lace shawl
Knit 2nd wristwarmer
Finish knitting mesh produce bag
Rip out and start again on felted market bag
Get to work on two commissioned knitted pieces
Sew up my shrug a little more so it stays on better
Knit wristwarmers for swap
Upload new items to my Etsy shop
More spinning
Then try some Kool-Aid dyeing
Mend holes in 3 shirts, couch cover
Hem pants
Lengthen pants
Alter bras
Sew 4 patchwork bags - 2 of my own design (already started), and 2 like these
Sew a pincushion for this challenge
Sew a monster mascot for my Etsy shop
Clean and oil my sewing machine (I have no idea how to do this)
Do more doodling, drawing, writing, scribbling, collaging
Make a linoleum block print and some stamps
Make a coiled yarn basket (now where did I see instructions for that recently?)

I'm sure there's more, but this is overwhelming enough. Anyone care to share their list?

Swappy goodness

2006-09-04T20:50:00.000-07:00

Look what arrived in the mail a few days ago:
It's my package from my Bottle Swap partner! I forgot to take a picture of the one I sent, but my partner did receive it, and sent me a lovely note.
The bottle I received contained so much stuff. Some of my favorite items in it: paper twist (just what I needed for a project I've been meaning to try), embroidery thread, craft felt with a decorative edge, and a variety of neat little gift tags.

I also participated in a sticker swap recently, and am signed up for a tea swap and a wristwarmer swap that are coming up. I'm trying to be selective about the swaps I participate in since I'm on a budget, and I also think there are some things it is better to just buy myself rather than hope my swap partner will magically know exactly what I like.

This weekend consisted of plenty of lazing about, interspersed with doing laundry, cooking, playing Scrabble, baking, mending clothes, spinning, going to the Farmer's Market and knitting. I have been doing quite a bit of knitting, and I'll have some FOs to post soon!

Pizza

2006-09-02T21:34:00.000-07:00

Dinner tonight:

I used the Focaccia recipe from the Sundays at Moosewood cookbook for the dough. The top one is just has sauce, seasonings and mozzarella on it. For the second one I added spinach, black olives and anchovies. I made enough to have leftovers for tomorrow too!

Smorgasbord

2006-08-29T19:44:00.000-07:00

After seeing deviled eggs on Lisa's blog not too long ago, I've been itching to make (and more importantly, eat) them. So Sunday I decided to make them for dinner. Then I couldn't decide on an entree, so I just went with more hors d'oeuvres. We had crackers, crudites, Oriental Dip (yes, that's what it's called in my old copy of Joy of Cooking), olives, really excellent dill pickles, and very ripe honeydew with ham. I had planned to make my Avo-Bean Glop too, but then I realized we already had the perfect amount of food for a warm summer evening.

What's your favorite hors d'oeuvre?

Edited to add: Apparently someone else had deviled eggs on the brain as well. Though her way of keeping the yolks from turning green seems pretty convoluted to me. Joy of Cooking just told me to run the eggs under cold water after I simmered them for 15 minutes, and that seemed to work fine.

The hat that started it all

2006-08-23T14:33:00.000-07:00

This was the first hat I ever knitted, about a year and a half ago, and I still adore it. A friend gave me a little guidance and let me borrow her size 6 circular and double pointed needles. I made it with no pattern, which is true of every hat I've made since then as well.

Less than a year after making my first hat I started selling my hats at a local shop, until it recently closed. Now my hats are available online! Please visit my new Etsy shop and check out my handknitted hats and other goodies. I am still adding to the shop, so check back for updates.

I also do custom hats and other knitted items, so let me know if you'd like to order something. I can work with you to find the perfect yarn and pattern, and I can work with your budget as well. You can contact me at monsterhatrally [at] gmail.com.

Thrift report

2006-08-18T12:08:00.000-07:00

My thrifty finds from earlier this week. Great Gardens of the Western World from 1963 (I don't need this book at all, but I love coffee table books and I do enjoy looking at other peoples gardens), Better Homes and Gardens Crocheting & Knitting from 1977 (yes, plenty of granny squares, but also some patterns I like for placemats and rugs, among other things), oh so cheerful striped Vera napkins (2), and a pair of white linen capri pants (I don't wear white pants, I will be using the fabric for something else). Grand total: $3.72. Not bad.

Corners of my home

2006-08-17T14:36:00.000-07:00

Two corners of my bedroom:
My side of the bed and my various piles. Items I'm especially fond of include the white polka dotted lamp (on sale at Walmart for $7), the red cowgirl hat (thanks, mom), and the green felt bag with flowers on it (purchased at the Boston Bazaar Bizarre).
A hand me down plant, Target tray, and milk crate for pants storage (no dressers in this apartment!). And my red and gold sparkly Mary Janes to the left... they are a children's size and just fit me, quite snugly. I am saving them for the right outfit or costume, or perhaps I will pass them along to a smaller person if I meet any with size 3 feet.

More corners here.

A new/old crafty hobby

2006-08-11T07:59:00.000-07:00

Another thing that I brought back from my visit to my parents:
A drop spindle! Most of the yarn on the spindle was spun many years ago (by me)... but I have added a little to it since I brought it back. I'm doing it completely from memory, and I think my technique is slightly off (sometimes the loop of yarn holding up the spindle flies off and the spindle completely falls over), but I guess I'll figure it out through trial and error. I was also informed by someone in my knitting group that the roving I have is rather crappy and not the easiest to work with. At least it's a start.

I'm also making plans to go to the Sheep & Wool Festival in Rhinebeck, NY with my mom, which I am super excited about! Maybe I'll check out spinning wheels there and forget about that silly spindle. (Just kidding spindle, please don't take that the wrong way and decide to not cooperate with me even more. I love you spindle. Truly. Just please be nice.)

Also while I was in NY, my mom and I visited a couple of yarn stores, and she treated me to the lovely yarn above. It's hard to see what's going on in the photo, but I am making a scribble lace scarf/shawl loosely based on a pattern in Mason Dixon Knitting. (I say loosely because I looked at the book in the store, saw a photo, and glanced at the pattern briefly. Most of it has been trial and error.) Scribble lace consists of a very fine yarn knit on very large needles with occasional rows of a somewhat thicker yarn spaced throughout. The thicker yarn stands out from the thinner yarn, and you see the scribbly, zig-zag line that it makes. (You should just be able to make this out if you click on the photo above.)

A new addition

2006-08-08T08:04:00.000-07:00

Look what came home with me from my recent visit to my parents!
It's my old sewing machine that was in storage - all tied up from being brought on the plane as a carry-on.
And here it is set up in my living room. (The table the machine is on is a bit shaky because I pulled it off the street, but it seems like it will work for now.) Not sure if you can tell in the photo, but I cleared off one of the shelves and put fabric and some notions on it. I'm hoping having all of it out and ready to go will encourage me to use it often.

A knitting update will be coming soon, plus another craft that was in storage at my parent's house.

Veggies, sprouts and a good book

2006-07-23T19:32:00.000-07:00

Today was another productive but semi-lazy Sunday. I went to the Farmer's Market this morning. I tend to get carried away and spend more money than I mean to and/or buy things that I don't use. So today I set myself a budget of $10, and got the following:
Swiss chard, a honeydew, tomato, 2 peaches and some potatoes for a grand total of $9.70. I sauteed the Swiss chard and tomato with some garlic and tofu and had it on top of brown rice for dinner. Yum.

Oh, and that is more banana bread that I made in the background. I thought I was so clever putting a pretty bowl upside down over it as a cover. Then when I went to cut myself a piece, an earwig came crawling out. Serves me right, I was really just being lazy not cutting it up and putting it in tupperware right away.
These are little thyme sprouts coming up. I am excited for them to be big enough to use in my cooking!
I have this book out of the library right now, and I am quite impressed with it. Definitely a book I'd consider adding to my library. There aren't too many patterns, and I probably wouldn't make most of them anyway, but the swatches and instructions for all the different techniques are incredible.
I think the techniques I most want to try out now are weaving (both with yarn and with thread or other materials) and couching.

Oh, and I will be posting an official announcement of my Etsy shop soon (I'm still adding a few things and trying to figure out how to make a banner), but in the meantime, you can take a peek at it here.

WIP Monday

2006-07-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know it's supposed to be WIP Friday, but I'm not very good at posting on specific days. So here I am on Monday.

I've started the French Market bag from knitty, but will not post a photo since I need to rip out a few rows first. Again. Since I've been getting a bit frustrated with that, I thought it would be good to have a quick and easy project going too. So I started this ribbed hat. I love the colors of this yarn, it's just so cheerful.
This isn't so much a WIP as a work that needs to be started. I pulled these chairs off the street. The backs are broken, and I suspect the seats will break too if we keep sitting on them without doing some repairs.
I've been thinking I would find some old canvas at the thrift shop and sew new seats and backs for them... but without a sewing machine, I think that would be a giant pain. Then I came across this pattern in Weekend Knitting:
Somehow I never really saw this pattern before, even though I've looked through Weekend Knitting many, many times. I guess it just didn't interest me so I ignored it. But this weekend I was skimming through it, just looking for general inspiration, and I noticed it. This chair cover is knitted with nylon twine from the hardware store, then you pour hot water over it and it shrinks to fit the chair. Such a neat idea. I think I may try it on one of the chairs above and see if it works as well as it seems it would. Has anyone tried this pattern? What did you think of it?

Happy Birthday to Me

2006-07-09T22:08:00.000-07:00

A quick Sunday post before bed. This Saturday was my birthday... for some reason 25 seems to be the age people like to start making jokes about how old you are. I suppose as long as I still get mistaken for a high school student I shouldn't be too concerned.

It was a lovely, low key weekend. Pirates of the Caribbean on Friday, a wonderful hike Saturday morning, reading in the afternoon, sushi, cake and ice cream in the evening, and fishing on Sunday morning (I didn't catch any fish, but I reeled in about 6 crayfish). Lovely mix of sunshine, amazing clouds, and thunderstorms throughout the weekend. I do enjoy a good thunderstorm.

This photo is evidence of my other weekend activity... preparing to set up an Etsy shop. Now that the local yarn shop has gone out of business and I no longer have a local venue to sell my hats, I've decided to overcome my laziness and set up shop online. The photo shoot quickly devolved into silliness, as you can see, but I think I got just enough good photos for the shop. Now I just need to write my bio, finish the descriptions, and decide on pricing. Oh, and possibly make a banner. Wish me luck.

My Sunday

2006-07-02T18:49:00.000-07:00

I didn't get too much done today, but it was a pleasantly mellow Sunday. Went out for bagels with a good friend, ran into the sweet Amanda and Max of Zhinka Dhinka Doo, strolled around the farmer's market, spent some time with my sweetheart, and baked some banana bread. A good day. The banana bread recipe is from Post Punk Kitchen, but I substituted wheat flour for half of the white flour, decreased the amount of sugar a little, and used half applesauce and half margarine for the shortening. Plus I made a double batch and put chocolate chips in one loaf. Yum.
I did not start my next knitting project today, but I thought about it. I am planning on making the French Market Bag from knitty.com with Cascade Pastaza in a pretty light blue and black (for the bottom and handles). The other yarn below is still awaiting a project, but it's so lovely it was just asking to be in the picture too. I will start on the market bag soon... it's my first felting project, so I'm excited.

Pretty pictures

2006-06-11T19:41:00.000-07:00

Yay! I have a new digital camera that isn't 5 years old (like my old one). I can take pretty pictures on it, like this one below from a hike we took yesterday. And uploading the photos to my computer is so easy, it's awesome.
This is my finished shrug (photos at my mom's request). Shrugs are such odd garments, I wasn't sure I would wear one, but this one is quite comfy and cute, so I think it will get some use.

And here's the finished sweater, finally being shown in action. Front and back shots because I think the tie in the back is so cute.

My most recent knitted garment is this little mini cardigan, knit in some gorgeous Manos del Uruguay wool my mom sent me doubled up with the perfect shade of reddish brown wool given to me by E. in my knitting group when I wasn't having any luck finding a coordinating yarn for the Manos. Despite the wonderful yarn, this little sweater was horrible to knit due to a poorly written pattern with numerous mistakes/typos/omissions. (It was a Chicks with Sticks pattern, if anyone is wondering, and when I called about the mistakes, they said this pattern was in hundreds of shops across the country and no one else had ever complained about it, which I find hard to believe.)
I'm making a funny face because I have such mixed feelings about this top. I will definitely be wearing it though, as it's perfect for summer evenings.

Great Monday Give-Away

2006-05-29T08:24:00.000-07:00

Not so long ago, I stumbled across bugheart's lovely blog and her Great Monday Give-Away. Not long after, I received a fabulous skirt in the mail from her, and she even threw in an adorable matching pin she made herself. The skirt has tiny red birds flying on a blue and white background and it's adorable. I'm making a goofy face because I'm excited about my new skirt. Thanks, Gwen!
So in honor of my new skirt and bugheart's generosity, I thought I'd do my own Great Monday Give-Away. It probably won't be every week like hers, but just whenever I have things to pass on.

Please read the rules here before claiming any item.
After you claim an item by commenting, please email me at monsterhatrally [at] gmail.com to let me know where to send it.
Here's what I'm giving away this week:

1. Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer

This book was passed along to me, and even though I've liked other books by this author, I decided I wasn't interested in the topic. Book is not in great condition but definitely readable.

2. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

A fun, fairly light read. Part of a series.

3. Beige plaid scarf

I really love this scarf, but have too many. Label says Wool Touch, 100% Acrylic (though it feels like wool blend to me - I guess that's the point), Hand Wash/Dry Clean, Made in Korea.

That's all for this Monday... but stay tuned in the future for some craft related give-aways.

Swaps galore

2006-05-28T20:30:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered Swap-bot and promptly signed up for a recipe swap and a tea swap. I sent out my packages yesterday, and I already received the recipes from my recipe swap partner. They sound tasty and she printed them up with yummy color photos too. I'm excited to receive my tea packages; I hope they arrive soon.
Pictured above: My red recipe book - it has all my favorite recipes from various cookbooks, along with some pretty food pictures I've cut out of magazines that I'll probably never make, but I love to look at. The cookbook Street Food falls into that category too - amazing droolworthy photos, but for the most part, recipes I wouldn't make. Good thing it's from the library. Also from the library is Julie & Julia, my current reading, about a woman who attempts to cook all the recipes from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in one year. I like it.
These are the tea swap packages I sent out. I actually got motivated before I sent them and wrapped up the contents in pretty polka-dot tissue paper, but I forgot to take a picture of the finished product. The swap required that the tea be sent in a tin (a tea tin or otherwise), and since I didn't have any tins laying around, I hit up the thrift shop and got these two for just over $1 - definitely within my budget. I hope my swap partners like them!

These were my first two swaps, and I think starting with some simple ones was a good way to ease my way in. But now I want more and I'm ready for bigger swaps... Anyone interested? I'd love to swap something I knit for something sewn, since I don't do much sewing myself, but I'd be open to swaps of all kinds. Please comment or email me if you'd like to swap. I'll have to browse around over at Swap-bot in the meantime.

knitting project report

2006-05-26T16:34:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I posted, but I have been crafting, I've just been too busy to post about it.
Finally! The sweater is done, just needs to finish drying. I can't wait to wear it. It may be summer, but some evenings are still cool enough for sweater wearing.

This was a quick knit. It just needs a little seaming and then it will be a shrug (from a pattern from Unravel). I'm still ambivalent about it being a shrug (will I wear it?) but I love this yarn - it's Deco-Ribbon from Crystal Palace. It's hard to tell in this photo, but it's a pinkish red ribbon yarn with thin stripes of turquoise.

I haven't worked on this for a little while, but I'm ready to finish it up. I looked around a bit online to find the perfect pattern for a mesh string bag to hold produce for grocery shopping. This is made out of an old sweater that I no longer wore, so I unraveled it to give it a new life. Yay for recycling.

Corners of my Home

2006-05-11T08:25:00.000-07:00

I've shared one or two corners in my apartment that I'm fond of, but haven't really shown the tinyness or the clutter. But my apartment is tiny and a bit cluttered, so I decided to show it as it is. Here is our little kitchen with nowhere near enough storage space (notice the items living on top of the fridge, there's more on top of the cabinets) and just enough counter space to prepare a meal, as long as you clear everything else off first.
This is our most recently acquired piece of furniture. When our neighbors moved out, they left it on the curb, and to Mr. Cool's dismay, I insisted we carry it up to our apartment and keep it.

The bright green color has really grown on me, and I am quite fond of it now. It's not actually a bookshelf - the neighbors clearly built it themselves and all but three of the shelves are the exact height and depth for CDs, which means they are too small for books. Based on their fondness for music, I assume the bottom shelf is sized for records, but we don't have any to test out that theory with, so Mr. Cool stores some of his tools there. The two whitish objects on the shelf above the picture frames are bones (elk? cow?) that we found on local hikes.

Knitting to Warm Mongolia/Pakistan

2006-05-01T20:03:00.000-07:00

My LYS, Unravel, recently sponsored a "Knit to Warm Mongolia & Pakistan" event. They gave out free yarn for people to knit into hats, scarves, sweaters, etc. Then the knitted items go to The Dulaan Project/F.I.R.E, a local relief organization that does work in Mongolia and Pakistan. Here's the yarn I started with - Lopi, Lopi Lite, and Cascade Pastaza.
Here are my contributions:
These two hats are my favorites because of the color combinations:
After I brought my knitted items over to Unravel, I made some dinner - swordfish steaks and artichokes. Sorry for the bad photo, it looked so good, I was rushing to take a photo so we could dig in.
The swordfish was really easy. Since it was still partly frozen when I wanted to start cooking, I put it in the oven for 10 or 20 minutes at around 150-200 degrees to defrost. Then I just sprinkled on some salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chopped fresh parsley, lemon juice, and olive oil. Broil for 3 to 4 minutes on one side, then turn over and broil for another 4 to 5 minutes. Take out and sprinkle with some fresh parsley, and it's done! I also steamed an artichoke that came in my CSA share this week, and it was quite a tasty addition.

Sew? I Knit!

2006-04-30T15:34:00.000-07:00

I finished my project for Sew? I Knit just under the wire. I made a pouch from this book, Made for Travel by Mary Mulari, which I got from the library. This book has good instructions, a few really cute projects, some other decent ideas that could be modified to be really cute, and definitely a fair share of tacky projects.
I did all the sewing by hand, since my machine is in storage about 3,000 miles away.
The fabric, zipper and ribbon for the zipper pull were all things I had on hand. The only thing I bought was iron-on interfacing to make the fabric a little more sturdy. I'd never used interfacing before, but it turned out to be very easy to use, and increased the weight of the fabric the perfect amount. Overall, I really like the way it turned out, though I think my sewing skills could use a little work. I'm excited I got a chance to use the zipper, I have a small bag of them I got at the thrift store. (If anyone has the perfect project for some lime green 7" or 9" zippers, let me know, and I'd send a couple your way).

I hate to be so trendy, but I think my next sewing project may be a softie. I always admire them on other folks blogs, but what would I do with one (or many)? But a friend saw Monsieur Perkins and wanted to commission me to make a stuffed animal for a friend of hers. I was thinking of how much I would have to charge someone to even remotely make up for the amount of time I put into making something like that, and it occurred to me that using fabric (instead of knitting the fabric myself) would be immensely faster. We'll see if I still think that once I start cutting up fabric.

Recipe: Yellow Rice & Black Beans

2006-04-23T13:58:00.000-07:00

Yum. Black beans simmering away on the stove.
This recipe is very simple, and you can keep most of the ingredients on hand. The recipe actually came from an old housemate of mine whose cooking I definitely miss (like her delicious vegan biscuits and gravy).

What you'll need:
1 pkg yellow rice (I use Mahatma brand Saffron Yellow Rice), or white rice and Goya Sazon seasoning packet
water for rice
1 or 2 plum tomatoes
2 14-oz. cans black beans (or 1 28-oz. can) with about 1/2 the liquid drained off
vinegar (cider or white)
2 limes
onion
garlic
vegetable oil
avocado (optional, but highly recommended)

1. Put up the water for the rice, and put rice in as soon as it starts boiling
2. Chop onion and garlic, and saute in a bit of vegetable oil, stirring occasionally so the garlic doesn't burn.
3. Chop tomatoes finely and set aside.
4. Add black beans to onions and garlic once onions have become translucent.
5. Slice avocado thinly and set aside.
6. Add vinegar and the juice of one lime to the black beans, stirring occasionally.
7. Cut the rest of the lime into slivers and set aside for garnish.
8. Once the rice is done, add the tomatoes to it and fluff/stir with a fork.
9. Serve with the black bean mixture on top of the rice and avocado and lime slices on the side. Enjoy!

This recipe makes about 2 large servings as an entree. If you are using it as a side dish instead of a meal, it would probably make 4 servings.

Retail therapy?

2006-04-22T21:03:00.001-07:00

I've been seeing a lot of mentions of retail therapy in the blogosphere recently. I must say I'm not crazy about the concept of retail therapy... to me it's often too focused on consumption for its own sake, and I think that can get out of control. However, sometimes I feel a little left out and want cute and fun new things too. I do try to only buy things I will use and balance it out by getting rid of things I'm no longer using.

I recently helped a friend clean out her closet - and in exchange got a few cute things, but not necessarily what I could most use for the upcoming months. So I went to the thrift store to fill in the gaps a bit. I try to keep a running list of things I want or need for around the house, projects, etc. Two of the things on my list that I scored this time were a Scrabble set (with all the pieces!) and a tray to put under my humidifier (since it sometimes leaks). I also got 4 summery tops, a pair of nice soft cotton pajama pants, a pair of hang out/climbing pants, and 2 pairs of short pants (Yes, I know they're called capris or clamdiggers or various other names depending on length. But since I'm short, they're never really the length they're intended to be, and they generally look like slightly too short pants on me. But they're comfy, so I wear them.)

But back to the retail therapy thing... what's your take? Do you do it and if so, how frequently? With guilt or glee? Can you afford it? Do you have the space? Does it match your politics? Do you justify it in certain ways? What other things do you/might you substitute for retail therapy that would have a similar effect/feeling?

Questions for myself, I guess, but if you'd like to share any of your answers, I'd love to hear.

Excitement by mail

2006-04-20T20:09:00.000-07:00

I just got the most lovely package in the mail yesterday from my mom!

Yes, there is delicious dark chocolate and gorgeous Manos Del Uruguay yarn in the same package. The package also included some cute mini office supplies, a mini puzzle, a lizard stamp and stamp pad, and a neat mesh zippered pouch. Thanks, mom. I'm still working on your package, but it should be on its way soon!

The question is - what do I make with the yarn? I love making hats, but I want to keep this yarn for myself, and I already have more than enough hats and scarves for myself. I am looking for a wearable few skein project that I could use a more muted and moderately priced yarn as a base and the Manos as a highlight. I've been looking at patterns for capelets, shrugs, vests, etc, but haven't found a pattern I like that would do this yarn justice. Anyone else have trouble finding suitable uses for that one skein of super-special yarn? Anyone have ideas or pattern suggestions? If I don't find something I like, I'm thinking I might try my hand at a pattern for a short-sleeved cardigan in a solid, with a band of Manos at the bottom, or something along those lines. What do you think?

And a finished object!

2006-04-16T21:41:00.000-07:00

This is Monsieur Perkins. He is from the book Handknits for Kids (the pattern is called Monsieur Cat, but we renamed him). I fell in love with this pattern, and not having any kids to make it for, decided that Mr. Cool would be getting an Easter basket with this cat and some chocolate, as you can see above (some of the chocolate is already missing of course). Monsieur Perkins also graciously took the time to pose with my breakfast of peach tea and chocolate cake with a vanilla pudding layer and chocolate frosting.

WIP report

2006-04-16T21:40:00.000-07:00

Since I still have not finished the sweater, you may wonder what I've been up to. Well, I've been knitting to warm Mongolia mostly. Here is the kid's scarf I'm currently working on. I have plans for a hat or two, and a pair of mittens.

Recipe: Avo-Bean Glop

2006-04-16T08:39:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the long delay between posts. Perhaps I'll post again today to make up for it.

Avo-Bean Glop

I call it glop since it’s not the most attractive dish, but once you taste it, you’ll forget all about the appearance. This recipe is from my mom, though I think I may have modified it a little. It is so quick and easy to make, and is an excellent snack or even a light meal.

1/2 can aduki beans (I find these at my local natural food store. If you can’t find them, you can substitute black beans)
1/3 jar salsa
1 avocado
Juice of 1/4 to 1/2 lime
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic powder (optional)
Tortilla Chips

Cut the avocado in half. I like to mash half and chop the other half for more texture, though you could mash or chop the whole thing based on your preference. Combine the avocado with the rest of the ingredients, stir, and serve with tortilla chips. (Though I have been known to eat it by the spoonful.) I can devour an entire batch myself at times, but it is a reasonable amount for 2-3 people.

Comments

2006-04-01T11:44:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much to everyone who has commented on my blog. Especially since I'm fairly new to this, I love getting feedback on my projects, and hearing about yours. My comments are moderated, since I do get spam comments sometimes, but I should be checking them and publishing them much more frequently from now on.

Please keep in mind that if you post as anonymous, the only way for me to respond is either in my blog itself, or to leave a comment in return... so if you want a response, those would be the places to watch.

Flashing My Stash

2006-04-01T10:16:00.000-07:00

OK, here we go.Here is the majority of my stash, laid out on the couch. It normally lives in a cardboard box in the corner next to the couch, with my WIPs in a basket next to it. The sweater hanging on the back of the couch was thrifted specifically to unravel and reclaim the yarn.

Starting from the left, these are my oddballs - anything less than a skein. Unlike some folks, I do use these, particularly for hats. I really love mixing yarns. The project in front is supposed to be an armwarmer, but I made it up as I went and forgot to write it down, so doing a second one would be a big pain. I haven't decided yet whether to rip it out or press forward with the project.

This center section of yarn is all 1-2 skeins. Some of these are leftover from other projects, some I bought for a specific project (like armwarmers or a hat) and some I just bought a single skein because I liked it. The project on the front left was just a swatch. I've now made one garter stitch wristwarmer with that yarn and have started what will become either a belt or a headband, instead of starting the second wristwarmer.
Close up of a few of the nicer yarns from the previous picture. L to R: a hand-spun yarn I bought at a farmer's market in Brooklyn (promised long ago to become wristwarmers for a friend), Mountain Colors Mohair Loop in Huckleberry, Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande (slated to become a hat), and some recycled silk sari yarn left over from the shawl I made my mom for Chanukah.
And this is my Lion Brand stash. Hanging on the back of the couch is, appropriately enough, the shawl my mom made me for Chanukah out of Lion Brand homespun. The pile on the left is Lion Chenille "Thick & Quick," generously given to me by D from my knitting group, because she had it leftover from holiday projects and she'd seen me use it on a couple of projects. Not sure yet what I'm going to do with it.

The pile on the right is all Lion Homespun, destined to become part of a big cozy multicolor afghan (which I am only a few inches into, as you can see directly in front of the pile).

OUTCOME: It was good to lay out my yarn to see exactly what I have. However, most of what I have is only good for small projects, and a lot of it is acrylic or acrylic blend. Both of these are more a matter of budget and space constraints than my yarn taste. I think my challenge for the next few months is to adapt or create some patterns for larger projects that can use a cheaper yarn for the base, but showcase one or two skeins of really nice yarn.

P.S. There are a few more skeins of yarn I aqcuired since these photos were taken, but Flickr is moving very slowly right now, so I will post them later.

2006-03-29T07:54:00.000-07:00

Plenty of stuff going on here, but not much time to write. I am transitioning from one job to another, and working both for the next week or so, which makes things pretty hectic.

So I thought I'd share a few links that made me smile in the midst of the craziness.

The Vegan Lunch Box - My dad made me awesome lunches when I was a kid, so I'm not jealous. But I would love to have someone make lunches like this for me now to take to work every day. Warning: this blog will make you hungry.

Decorating with paper snowflakes (at MSL) - So winter's pretty much over here, but having come to Northern Arizona from the Northeast, I feel a little cheated of a real winter. So I'm thinking about making my own snow before it's truly spring. Plus, this is another great project to do with reused paper.

Tiny Showcase - These tiny prints are definitely on my wish list. A great way to support artists and own something beautiful without having to sell everything you own to buy some art. The current one is really cute (but already sold out). I've had a really hard time resisting "Bear & Wolf" from February 14th.

And these adorable rubber stamps coming soon at The Small Object. This is one of those things I wish I had made. Not so, but instead they will go on my wish list. Or I will just look at them online and grin.

Things I Love Thursday

2006-03-23T07:36:00.000-07:00

Not sure where this idea came from originally, but I've really enjoyed reading Lisa's "Seven Things I Love" series. This morning I have been thinking about some of the things that make me happy (as opposed to thinking about the things that stress me out - like my job) and thought this was a nice way to recap.

Some things I love:
the smell of beeswax
avocados
dark chocolate
sushi
mobiles
monsters
tea (mostly herbal or green)
threatening skies
plants and growing things
good books
libraries
magazines (perhaps more of a guilty pleasure)
bright red and pink, maroon, purple, turquise, sky blue and black
rock climbing
being alone
down time with mr. cool
time not spent at my job
lists

This is definitely only a partial list.
Perhaps to be continued...

Corners of my Home

2006-03-19T13:34:00.000-07:00

Another post in the Corners of my Home theme.

This is our kitchen windowsill where our bottle cap collection lives. Mr. Cool makes fun of me for saving glass jars, but I like the way they look used like this for storing chopsticks and utensils.

Another beginning collection is Mr. Cool's shell collection. No, not sea shells. Old bullet shells. They were on display in the living room until I discovered they are a perfect fit for this tiny ledge in the entry to our bathroom.

Computer Free Days

2006-03-19T10:24:00.000-07:00

This past Monday, I had my first intentionally Computer Free Day. Much thanks to Blair of Wise Craft for the excellent idea! She's also celebrating a blog landmark right now, so head on over and check it out.

Since I use a computer at work, my computer free days will only be computer free at home. I'll also be refraining from blog-related activities at work. Since my computer is also the only way I have to watch TV or movies on DVD, I'll also being making it a TV free day as well. (My recent addiction to old Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes on DVD from the library had to be brought under control.)

Instead of zoning out on the computer, I used my Monday evening to go to the library with Mr. Cool, get into bed early, and do some reading. I am hoping this Monday will be similar.

Flash Your Stash

2006-03-18T09:42:00.000-07:00

I've joined the 2006 Flash Your Stash over at Zibbibo is Good. I don't have too much yarn to show off, but I think I'd like to go through what I have to help prod me to work on some of the projects I have in my head.

Plus, maybe Mr. Cool will think my pile of yarn is more reasonable in comparison to some of the other stashes that will be on display.

Paper craft

2006-03-12T20:32:00.000-07:00

Since I've been avoiding my knitting, the only solution was to try out a different project I've been thinking about. So it was off to Michael's in the snow to get a cutting mat, ruler and knife, so I could try making these little paper stars. I used this tutorial, which was decent, though the folding instructions could have been a little more clear.

I strung some of the stars on quilting thread and was thinking of making a mobile, or perhaps just hanging them in a window.

I've been thinking a lot about craft projects that use materials that would otherwise be trash. I love seeing all the posts about thrifty craft projects, but when it comes down to it, buying something at a thrift store is still buying something. Usually something you don't need. So I've been trying to come up with more projects that utilize trash (or recycling). For these stars, I used some old magazines from work that were getting tossed.

A couple of other projects in this theme are:

Gum Wrapper Chain and Cigarette Wrapper Wreath and this paper garland (via The Small Object)

Paper bowls (on Craftster)

Lekkner's t-shirt scarf and pins made out of fabric scraps (site is currently being remodeled)

Sweater update

2006-03-12T20:25:00.000-07:00

Just to prove I have made a little progress on my sweater, here is some photographic evidence. The body has been sewn together and the i-cords attached. I did the single crochet around the neckline, but it was my first crochet attempt in many years, I think I may redo it since I'm not terribly pleased with the way it came out. Besides that, I just have to attach the arms and block it, which seems like it will take forever since I keep procrastinating on the finishing.

Printmaking Books

2006-03-09T19:21:00.000-07:00

I've been too embarassed to post because my so-called Olympic sweater is still not finished. The knitting was all done by the end of the Olympics, but I've just been dragging on the finishing. I'm not dwelling on it though - I've made two (and am about halfway through a third) chemo caps to donate to the American Cancer Society. The whole thing was organized by the fabulous folks at Unravel, my LYS, and they donated all the yarn.

I've been really interested in learning more about different kinds of printmaking lately. Here are a few books I got out of the library on the subject. My favorite, the one open in this photo, is The Graphic Work of Leonard Baskin. Also pictured is Picasso Linocuts, Pre-Hispanic Mexican Stamp Designs, and Curious Woodcuts of Fanciful and Real Beasts. I've said it before and I will most definitely say it again: I love libraries!

Here's a closer-up of one of the pages. That is a rather odd looking dog laying in the grass at the bottom of the page.

And this is a page I liked from Curious Woodcuts of Fanciful and Real Beasts. The first time I tried to check this book out of the library, I couldn't because it wasn't in their system (How did it get there? I imagine someone sneaking it into the library and sticking it on the shelf when no one was looking.), and they said to try next time. So there was a bit of build up before I actually got to take it home, but it definitely lived up to my expectations. And such a matter-of-fact but intriguing title too.

Knitting Away

2006-02-26T20:36:00.000-07:00

I've done quite a bit of knitting this week, and reached my goal of finishing all the knitting for my sweater by the end of the Olympics. Yay me. (Pictures soon!) This week I will do the finishing - weaving in ends, seaming, blocking, and wearing (if all comes out as planned).

I also worked on another craft project today - a paper bowl made out of recycled magazines (not so detailed tutorial on craftster in the featured projects section). I think mine needs a little work before I'm willing to share a photo. But I like projects that use materials that would otherwise be thrown away, so I'm definitely into this project, and may try out a few variations on it as well. Details to come.

Going strong

2006-02-20T22:58:00.000-07:00

Despite my complaint about the repetitiveness of the pattern, my olympic sweater is progressing quite nicely. I now have both a back and a front! Sleeve number one will be started tomorrow, and my goal is to complete it by the end of knitting group on Wednesday... we'll see.

This evening I also made tea eggs.

Both the eggs and the shells are so pretty. I almost didn't want to throw the shells away. The eggs are also quite tasty. These were made from a recipe in the Moosewood Restaurant Celebrates cookbook, which Mr. Cool's parents gave us for the holidays. The eggs are boiled for 5-6 minutes in plain water, then you crack the shells all over with the back of a spoon, then the eggs are boiled again for an extended period of time in black tea with some other seasonings. I will definitely be making these again - and most likely in a larger batch.

Corners of my Home

2006-02-18T11:25:00.000-07:00

I've been seeing this theme/meme/whatever on other folks blogs for a while, and I really like the idea. This is my first post in this theme, and I decided to photograph something that has had different incarnations in most of the many apartments I've lived in. It's my tea stash. Mostly, I've stored my tea on shelves or counters, or in cabinets or drawers. Drawers seem to be my favorite, but this is the first time I've used the top rack of a dishwasher as my tea drawer. (No, the dishwasher is not used for washing dishes.) The tea fits quite nicely, but the dishwasher does have a faint chemical smell from whatever people who lived here before washed their dishes with.

Olympic progress

2006-02-18T10:25:00.000-07:00

So how's Team Northern Arizona doing, you might ask? Well, the only people asking are probably Amanda and my mom, but I'll share anyway. (Amanda, I hope you're doing a bit better than in your last post! I know it's frustrating when patterns seem to have been written in an alternate dimension). I'm probably a bit behind where I should be, but am making decent progress. This photo is the back of the sweater in progress earlier this week.

Here's the completed back of the sweater (finished Thursday evening). I've started the front, but since I'm only 4 or 5 inches in and it's identical to the back (until the neckline), I didn't bother with a photo.

No offense to the yarn (which is lovely to work with), or the pattern (which is adorable and well-written), but I'm getting a little bored already. Perhaps I should have picked something more challenging than ALL stockinette. It's my first sweater though, so I didn't want to choose something discouragingly hard. That'll be my second sweater.

My first sweater and some hat photos

2006-02-10T21:26:00.000-07:00

Hats in progress...

Recently finished hats:
This one will be for sale.

And this one is all mine!

My first real sweater is from a pattern in the Fall issue of Interweave Knits. I've made one cap sleeve sweater before, but this will be my first sweater with sleeves. The yarn is so soft and wonderful to knit with - it's Baby Alpaca Brush from Plymouth Yarn Co. I wasn't going to do the Knitting Olympics, but the yarn for this sweater just came in, so I think I'll use it as an excuse to drop all my other projects and just work on this. Plus, I just found out Zhinka Dinka Doo is also from Northern AZ, so I have to join her team and put up the cute button she made. I haven't joined officially, but I will try to follow the rules and go along with the spirit of it.

Project update & Denise needle review

2006-02-08T12:33:00.000-07:00

Currently I am working on an afghan (with the Lion Homespun pictured at the end of this post), which is more of a long term project, and a few hats. Two of them would have been finished yesterday during a seminar at work, but I forgot to bring my dpns (double pointed needles). I've also finished two other hats in the last couple of weeks and have been wearing one of them non-stop. I'm having lots of fun mixing some very different yarns together and knitting with two or three yarns at a time. I hope to have photos up soon.

I've been using my new Denise interchangeable needle set for most of this knitting, and I am quite pleased with it. I've heard that the interchangeable needles that screw together have a tendency to work themselves loose as you knit. These needles snap together instead (they lock into place with a quarter turn) and I only had them come apart once when I was first trying them and didn't quite snap it into place right. I got used to how they work quickly though, and it hasn't happened again. Yes, the needles are plastic, so they don't feel quite as nice on the hands as say, rosewood. But they are very pointy and easy to knit with. My new favorite trick when knitting in the round is to use a needle one size down for the needle the stitches are coming off of (since the needle that creates the guage is the needle you're knitting on to) so the stitches slide off the needle extra easily as you knit along.

Libraries are awesome

2006-01-27T12:06:00.000-07:00

A woman in my knitting group got the most amazing knitting book through interlibrary loan called Unexpected Knitting by Debbie New. This book is incredibly inspiring and shows a bunch of freeform knitting. It shows the potential of knitting as an art form, not just a craft. The book does not contain detailed instructions for most of the items featured, but does give intermediate or advanced knitters a jumping off point for some very creative projects.

I just got a book out of the library called Origamido by Michael Lafosse, which is a very similar sort of book, only with origami instead of knitting. Again, not much in the way of detailed instructions, but a beautiful, inspirational book.

Finished Objects!

2006-01-22T21:57:00.000-07:00

Chanukah was celebrated a bit late this year by my family, since my parents and I decided to wait until their visit to do most of our gifting, though we also exchanged a few gifts by mail. Knitted objects were gifted in person because a) we wanted to see each other's reactions, and b) it gave more time to finish the gifts.

This is my mom and I modeling the shawls we made for each other. She made me the Easy Triangular Shawl out of Lion Brand Homespun. It's oh so cozy, and her first finished knitting project in many years! I'm so proud and I will wear it a lot. The shawl I made for her is Bob & Weave from knitty, with some minor adjustments, knit in recycled silk sari yarn. The pattern is very simple, just stockinette stitch with drop stitch rows and ribbon woven through the dropped stitches. I highly recommend it. The yarn was a bit fussy to work with - thick and thin, alternately very tightly and then loosely spun, plenty of sticks and leaves in it pick out, and a little musty smelling, but overall I think it was worth it since I am extremely pleased with the final product and my mom seems to be too.

My dad showing off his new hat. He's usually more smiley, but in this shot is taking his hat modeling duties very seriously. The hat is a simple 4 x 4 ribbed hat (my own pattern) in Plymouth Encore Chunky from my LYS.

Speaking of my LYS, Unravel has now sold 4 of the 6 hats I made to sell there, and they are interested in more! I also have a couple of projects for myself in the works, more details in the next week or so, but I'll leave you with a preview of the yarn for one of them.

I'm a winner

2006-01-16T11:30:00.000-07:00

I have not posted for a while because my parents are visiting and that has been keeping me occupied. On the plus side, I will soon post pictures the knitted items I made them for Chanukah, since they have now received them. Also pretty neat - we went to the Grand Canyon this weekend, which was so perfect - this is the best time of year to go. We had been there once before, in August many years ago, and it was so crowded and so hot, it was ridiculous and hard to fully enjoy it. This trip was so much nicer and now I want to go back with Mr. Cool within the next few months and do a proper hike down into the inner canyon.

In knitting-related news, I recently won a contest on savannahchik. She was looking for suggestions for what to do with Koigu sock yarn besides making socks with it. I suggested legwarmers, and she ended up going with my suggestion! I am excited to see her progress on them, and also excited to receive the yarn she is sending me as a prize! Thanks, Jody!

Pictures of my parents Chanukah presents to come very soon!

Free hat patterns

2006-01-06T08:03:00.000-07:00

I don't typically buy knitting magazines, since I'm more of an improviser than a pattern person, but sometimes I use patterns as a base to work from. So I was leafing through Interweave Knits in the store, and they had a really cute feature called Cover Your Ears, which is patterns for 6 earflap hats and an earband thing. But the patterns were not in the magazine, they just had photos, and the patterns are available on their website. Which suits me just fine, since I was not even tempted to buy the mag. My favorite is the one on the bottom right, though I'd go for a color other than orange, and being me, would probably adapt the pattern a bit.

Hurts so good

2006-01-03T18:16:00.000-07:00

I think I have injured my wrists, hands and elbows from knitting too much. Of course, my excessive computer use and rock climbing could have contributed as well. It seems that too many of my hobbies are hard on the same parts of my body.

Regardless of the exact cause, I'm taking a couple of days off knitting since it doesn't feel great, but it's really difficult to stick to this. I really want to finish my super top secret project for my mom before my parents visit (9 days away). Plus, there are a number of things in my stash calling out to me, primarily my Teseo in this lovely teal/green color. I'm thinking wristwarmers.

I used the same yarn in a red/brown color for the first hat I ever made, which I absolutely adore and wear all the time. I love the feel of the yarn, the way it looks knit up, and the self-striping makes it look like I did more work than I actually did.

The other yarn I've been drooling over lately is some recently added yarn at Miss Hawklet. Specifically, this yarn below, which has already been bought my some lucky person.

Chanukah gift report

2006-01-01T14:34:00.000-07:00

My post earlier today didn't have a photo, so here's one of some of the treats I got for Chanukah. Of particular note: two items from my wishlist - The Vogue Ultimate Knitting book and Treehouses of the World, as well as the yummy Sundays at Moosewood cookbook (from which we just tried out an excellent latke recipe), the book Knitting Yarns & Spinning Tales, and a Chanukah platter with matching beaded knife/serving utensil (on the Chaukah plate) which my mom embellished herself. Mr. Cool's parents kindly sent us some vegetarian cookbooks too, as well as the Knitting Yarns book and the cute stationery pictured here, and some cashmere socks (not pictured) that I wore immediately.

Coincidence of the week

2006-01-01T10:30:00.000-07:00

Having just moved to a new place a few months ago, I only have one friend here, other than my boyfriend (henceforth to be referred to as Mr. Cool), my knitting group, and some acquaintances at the climbing gym. So last night, my friend, Mr. Cool, and I went out for New Year's. We were in line to get in to see some crappy local band at a crappy local brewery with crap beer, and who should end up in line behind us? Some friends of my friend. That doesn't sound particularly coincidental yet, but just wait. When I turned around to be introduced to those folks, right behind them in line I saw someone from knitting group, so I said hello. She starts to chat with me, then mentions that she thinks the folks standing between us (friends of both my friend and the woman from knitting group) bought one of my hats. I chat with them for a minute and confirm this, then let them go back to doing their New Year's thang. (I didn't want to scare one of the two people who have purchased something I knit by coming on too strong.)

I guess it's not that exciting, but it was to me. It seems like the chances of the person who bought one of my hats:
a) ending up in line directly behind us
and
b) being friends with the one friend I have here
is pretty slim.

I wish I had a photo of the hat, but alas, I did not take one before selling it. It's a really fun hat, made with very bulky Plymouth Encore Mega in purple and bright pink, with some eyelash yarn (Berrocco Sizzle) in pink and purple mixed in for part of it. I made one in the same materials for my best friend, who is living in Eastern Europe right now, so perhaps I can get a picture from her of it in use.

We are go for photos

2005-12-30T20:44:00.000-07:00

I finished a number of knitted holiday gifts before the holiday, and I even wrapped them, with little gift tags and handwritten care instructions. But they are still sitting in a box in my living room waiting to be sent out. Not my fault. The package is awaiting other holiday gifts which someone else still has not purchased.

So I'm posting some of them anyway, on the assumption that no one is reading this post, and that the odds of the recipients reading it is extremely slim.

Please excuse the poor quality of this photo, but thanks to my parents, at least I have the ability to post photos now. The hat and two scarves in this picture are gifts for a baby, mom and grandmom. Hope they like them! They seem as if they'd appreciate the silliness of coordinated accessories and I'm going to request a photo of them all wearing them together. The dad and granddad are also getting coordinating gifts, but that wasn't really intentional. I just happened to pick out wool from Harrisville Designs for both of their projects, and ended up using some leftover yarn from one on the other. This yarn is awesome. Very soft-spun, so you have to be careful with it (I tore it twice the first time I cast on with it), but looks great knit up. I didn't realize it when I bought it from my local yarn shop, but Harrisville has yarns that look very similar with slightly different contents. I bought three skeins: one was 20% flax and 80% wool, another was 25% mohair, 5% silk, and 70% wool, and the third I lost the label to, so I'm not sure.

Currently on the needles... presents for my parents. These presents are not considered late, since my parents are visiting in a couple of weeks and we are doing some of our holiday celebrating (and gifting) then.

Confessions of a wannabe craftster

2005-12-29T19:57:00.000-07:00

Just what the world needs... another knitblog. I am so original. Not that I need an excuse, but I offer the following as sort of an explanation.

When I was younger, I always wanted to start my own craft business. I think even then I dreamed of the freedom to do work I am passionate about, make my own schedule and most importantly, not have to take orders from incompetent, condescending ego-maniacs.

I think the first business empire I created in my head was jewelry making. I amassed a massive collection of beads, charms and findings, but most of it is still in storage in my parent’s barn. I never sold a single item. I did manage to make a few odd creations which I gave as gifts, but that’s as far as I got.

Sewing never really got off the ground, despite various attempts over the years and a large collection of fabric and other supplies which now reside, you guessed it, in storage in my parent’s barn. I do have a few items I made for myself which sometimes elicit compliments (or strange looks) that make it hard to completely give up that dream.

I’ve done various paper crafts over the years… paper making, printing, notebook making, origami, nothing that really stuck, though I’ve enjoyed all of them.

Then there was Friendly Plastic…either you will know exactly what I’m talking about, or you will have absolutely no idea what this crap is. This miraculous stuff came in little rectangles, and you could cut it into shapes, then arrange them and stick it in the oven until it melted together. If you were really slick, you’d pull it out of the oven, then at exactly the right stage in its cooling, you’d press little plastic jewels or fake stones into it while it was still soft. Then when it was dry, you could glue on a pin back or necklace finding and have yourself an absolutely FABULOUS piece of jewelry. With this project, I actually went to the trouble of creating display cards to pin my creations on with my name and the price. I did manage to sell a few of these gems, but only to friends of my mom’s. One friend did buy a batch to put on her felted hats that she made and sold, so somewhere out there may be someone who actually paid money for one of those pins.

I’ve also dabbled in macramé, spinning, weaving, felting and various other crafts that I can’t even remember right now.

I’ve tried to learn how to knit a few times over the years, but it never really stuck until I read Stitch ‘N Bitch – I think it was the combination of clear instructions along with patterns I might actually want to try out.

So now I’ve finally done it. I am prolific enough at knitting that it’s actually possible I could sell my work. I just made my first batch of hats to sell on consignment (six to be precise) and they are now on display at the local yarn store. I came up with a name for my company (Monster Hat Rally, though that may change to Monster Knit Rally as I produce more of other types of items) and ordered free business cards online. The next steps seem to be producing more goods, getting or borrowing a digital camera to get photos of my work online, joining some distros and writing a business plan.

I’d like to expand into some sort of papercraft as well to complement the knitting and keep my interest. I am interested in trying out different kinds of printing (vegetable, silkscreen, woodcut?) which could be done on paper or fabric.

A P.S. of sorts - I wrote this about a month ago, and since then, two of my hats have sold! Don't worry, I won't quit my day job. Yet.